Posts Tagged ‘strategy’
How to make your business pass the So What test?
New year, new you, new resolutions, new goals. But all in the service of what, exactly? As you start the new year – or any new day – make sure you know why you do the things you do and why others should take interest. Make sure your business passes the so what test. What…
Read MoreHow to be the smartest person in the room
Who is the smartest person? The person who knows the most? Or the person who learns the most? Conversation When you are trying to connect with somebody, you probably won’t pull out a PowerPoint and give them a 20-minute presentation. You will engage in a conversation, which means more than one person speaking and some…
Read MoreIt’s easy to find out what your clients value
Value is a highly subjective attribute. It is about significance, worth, and usefulness. And each person makes these determinations in their way. When you are writing your value proposition, and are deciding what your clients want to accomplish, don’t forget to consider their personal needs. Personal Value When I train clients on writing their value…
Read MoreWhy scaling is better than growth for your business
Growing your business means adding parts. More clients, more employees, more desks, more anything. Scaling your business means that your revenue increases, but your resources stay about the same. More clients, but without more of everything else. Why scaling is better than growing If doubling your client numbers means doubling the resources you need to…
Read MoreThe Formula to Balance Your Business
Opportunity & risk. Gains & losses. Promotion & Prevention. These are all ways to describe the balance a business needs to succeed. You can’t avoid risk, and you – hopefully – have plenty of opportunities. Making these two things coexist is important, but one of the hardest things to do. Business potential Back in 2017,…
Read MoreYour employees don’t know what to do
Job titles are great for algorithms in job search sites; job roles are better for managing your business. Following my March article explaining this difference, I received some great feedback from people writing roles for their own business. The next step is to instruct your team. Does everybody know what they should be doing? It’s…
Read MoreLet’s talk about an entrepreneur’s biggest mistake
What is an entrepreneur’s biggest mistake? I was asked this question just the other day. And as much as I am not a fan of questions that require absolutes, I will still answer a question when it is posed. And the answer to this one is: thinking they know what their customer wants. One coin:…
Read MoreWhy your employees want to know your mission statement
How do your employees know why they do the things that do? How do you know why your employees do the things that they do? Are you giving them a good direction about where you want their work to take the business? Employees join a company to use their skills in a valuable way. But…
Read MoreDo you know when a job is done?
A job isn’t done until it’s done. But when is it done? In your business, how do you know that the right things are happening, at the right time, and with the right outcome? Too often, people answer these questions saying “when the task is complete”. That might answer the first question, but it does…
Read MoreHow to always learn from failure
It is a common trope that failure is a lesson. The question is: are we learning it? In school, we had lesson plans, curricula, lectures, and homework. To truly learn our lessons from failure – or mistakes, or problems, or imperfections – we need a lesson plan. When you find that something has gone wrong…
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